Appearing on Fox News following the Tea Party-backed O'Donnell's stunning upset of centrist GOP Rep. Mike Castle in the state's Senate primary, Rove said that he did not think that O'Donnell could win the general election in heavily Democratic Delaware, a remark that earned much media attention and partially defined O'Donnell's victory.

Rove said later this week that he is backing the Republican nominee, but still expressed skepticism over her prospects in the general election.